Health comes first!

Millions of people drink everyday. For many of them, a day is incomplete if they cannot drink coffee. For good freshly ground coffee every morning you should try طواحين القهوة . These are the best coffee grinders you will ever find!

One of the main reasons why coffee is so popular is because it can offer stimulation. That’s actually the main thing that makes a coffee beverage coffee-like and it owes that quality to caffeine.

It’s not just coffee that contains caffeine. Other beverages have caffeine content as well.

What is Caffeine?

First, let’s discuss what caffeine is and what gives it that unique property?

Caffeine is a psychoactive substance. Not only that, it is also the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Don’t be alarmed, caffeine is not illegal or regulated.

Explaining how caffeine acts on the human brain would be very technical but it can be simplified. Without getting into the details, caffeine works by reversibly blocking the action of adenosine on its receptor. That prevents the drowsiness which is induced by adenosine.

Benefits of Caffeine

You may not realize it but caffeine has benefits other than helping you to stay alert when you need to. Here are a few:

Caffeine can boost your physical performance. That’s because it increases the level of adrenaline in your blood.

Caffeine can help you to burn fat because it helps in breaking down fat cells.

Caffeine can help in lowering the risk of Type II diabetes since it decreases glucose sensitivity.

It can also aid in improving mood since it stimulates the central nervous system.

Those are just a few of the benefits of caffeine. It’s no wonder that people keep drinking the beverages that contain it.

Soda Vs Coffee

Now, you might be wondering if coffee is really the top source of caffeine. Because if there are other sources, it might be better to drink those instead. For example, you might have heard that it is better to drink soda instead of coffee since it has more caffeine.

Is that true? Is soda really a better caffeine source?

If you are a coffee-drinker, then it’s typical if you drink one cup per day. This can vary widely, since some people drink more than one cup daily. If you’re using an ordinary 8-ounce cup, then you are getting 150 milligrams of caffeine.

Just remember that caffeine content can vary between coffee brands too. One brand for example can have 100 milligrams more caffeine than others.

What about soda?

Most Coca-Cola products have 35 milligrams of caffeine per can. The amount will vary by the manufacturer. Pepsi products for example might have a higher caffeine content than those of their number one rival, while Dr. Pepper products clock in at 41 milligrams per can. The leader when it comes to caffeine content is Mountain Dew, which has up to 54 milligrams of caffeine for each can than contains 12- ounce of beverage.

Not all soda products contain caffeine but some that do are not even likely caffeine-yielding drinks. For example, some orange soda brands may even have higher caffeine content than cola products.

So, overall, coffee can trump soda anytime when it comes to caffeine content.

Some Facts about Caffeine Intake

It is interesting to take note of that the preference for caffeine source can change with age. Younger people prefer to get their caffeine from soda products, while adults go for coffee.

According to statistics, around 80-90% of adults and children in North America are in the habit of consuming caffeine in some form or another. That statistic could also be an indication of how much caffeine is consumed in other parts of the world.

Moderation is a Must

Whether you get your caffeine through coffee or though soda, the important thing is that you keep things in moderation. While caffeine has its health benefits, experts warn that too much of it can cause health problems too.

Some of the negative effects of caffeine can include:

Insomnia

Nervousness

Tremors

Faster heartbeat

Irritability

Caffeine has also been linked to problems during pregnancy. Now, the effect of caffeine may vary from one person to another but it still make sense to keep things in moderation to stay away from the negative health issues.

You’re familiar now with the caffeine content in drinks. So, which would you go for, coffee or soda?

A chemical called 4-methylimidazole is formed during the manufacture of some caramel colors used to darken sodas and is considered carcinogenic. Researchers have shown that people in the USA over the age of six drinks at least one can of soda daily, and hence they are highly exposed to 4-methylimidazole. The conducted research did not conclude specific brands of soda and also found that the amount of the chemical varies across samples even for the same type of drink. They discovered that variant levels of the chemicals are higher in some compounds and shallow concentration is found on others.

Consumers petitioned that FDA should set standards to limit the amount of 4-MEI that should be allowed in beverages and food. In a state like California, each drink should carry a health-warning label if the sum of the chemical exceeds the specified limits. Drinks purchased from California has low levels of 4-MEI than samples of the same beverage purchased elsewhere.

From the results obtained in the study, it’s clear that people should avoid soft drinks. Earlier results showed that the rate of metabolic syndrome is 48 percent higher among individuals who drink one soft drink daily than those who do not drink any soda. The diet soda does not help lose weight instead overweight and obese people are more likely to ingest more calories from sugar-sweetened beverages.

Causes of cancer

In a child, healthy cells divide rapidly to allow for growth and when one becomes adult cells divide to replace worn-out cells or to repair injuries.

When cells at a particular site of the body start to grow out of control, they may become cancerous. The growth of cancer cells is different from that of healthy cells. Cancer cells do not die. Instead, they grow to form new abnormal cells. Cancer cells can invade other tissues which are a strange property which is not possessed by normal cells.

Cancer cells are formed from normal cells when their deoxyribonucleic acid within the nucleus is damaged. DNA is found in every call and is used to direct all the cell action that is death, growth, protein synthesis among others. When DNA of a normal cell has damaged the cell either repairs the damage or else it dies. Apoptosis is a process which a cell uses to safeguard against cancer through which abnormal cells die on their own accord.

Damaged DNA in cancer cells is not repaired, and the cell does not die. This gives rise to defective cancer cells which share the same DNA as the original cells hence the spread of cancer inside your body. This may be inherited from parents or maybe as a result of spontaneous problems that occur during the lifetime of a person. The process is known as mutation. Certain environmental toxins may trigger damage of cells. Cigarette smoke is one of the toxins which are widely known to cause cancer in human cells. There are also other known factors which may cause cancer although researchers have concluded that it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact cause.

Agents that cause cancer

Chemical carcinogens

Changes in a typical cellular DNA are activated by several chemicals and environmental toxins. Mutation is a process that is caused by mutagens and mutagens that cause cancer are known as carcinogens. Tobacco smoking is a particular substance that is associated with many forms of cancer and is believed to cause 90% of lung cancer. Smoking is associated with larynx, head, neck, stomach, bladder, kidney as well as pancreases because it contains carcinogens like polycyclic and nitrosamines aromatic hydrocarbons.

Ionizing radiations

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and radiation due to radon gas leads to skin malignancies and melanoma. These emissions causes’ different types of cancer like those who receive chest radiation therapy for lymphomas may develop breast cancer after a period.

Bacterial and viral infections

Various types of cancer are caused by infection with pathogens. Notable ones include liver cancer, a cervical cancer which occurs due to infections with human papillomavirus as well as stomach cancer due to Helicobacter pylori infection.

Immune system dysfunction

HIV infection is an impaired immunity which causes several cancers including Kaposi sarcoma which is associated with malignancies such as cervical and anal cancers. The infections destroy red blood cells which fight against diseases like cancer-causing viruses.

Hormonal changes

This is a notable change which occurs in the female hormone level estrogen. It has been proved that excess estrogen leads to uterine cancer.

Ways of reducing cancer

Cancer prevention methods are still evolving, but it is evident that cancer is affected by simple lifestyle changes that one makes. Below are simple lifestyle changes which will make a big difference if you are concerned about cancer prevention.

Do not use tobacco

Smoking has been linked with many types of cancer. Even if you don’t smoke exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of lung cancer. Avoiding it is one of the most efficient health decisions one can make because it’s an important part of prevention. You can see your doctor to give you ways in which you can quit smoking and also reading scholarly article may also assist.

Eat a healthy diet.

This can be attained by eating plenty of vegetables and fruits to avoid obesity because fresh fruit and vegetables are believed to be lighter food hence do not cause any infection. Another way is by moderating consumption of alcohol because excessive intake of alcoholic drinks increases chances of lung and breast cancer.

Maintaining a healthy weight and doing lots of physical exercises

This lowers all the risks of infection as well as helping to control your weight. People who participate in lots of physical activities gain some health benefits and will never suffer from colon or kidney cancer. Everyone should spare at least 150 minutes a week to do an aerobic physical activity to maintain healthy living.

If you have Coke, Pepsi, or any other type of soda in your home, you have one of the safest and most effective cleaning products available at your fingertips. Not only is soda perfect for getting rid of grease stains on your favorite clothing, as well as your pots and pans, but it will also take care of rust. The truth is that while soda may not necessarily be good for your teeth, it does have plenty of cleaning potential.

If you aren’t familiar with everything you can use your favorite soda to to clean, you’ll definitely want to keep reading and even if you are already a huge fan of soda’s cleaning abilities, you may just find a few new things you can use it on.

Clothing Stains and Odors

Grease and blood stains are notoriously difficult to remove from clothes and all those expensive stain removers on the market often leave a little behind. The next time you run into this problem, throw your clothes in the washing machine, pour in your detergent and a can of soda, and set it to run through a normal cycle. You’ll be shocked at how clean your clothes are.

At the same time, a can of soda is perfect for eliminating any weird, lingering odors on your clothes. Follow the same directions above and you’ll see for yourself how a single can of Coke can break down and neutralize odors.

Pots and Pans

If you’ve let your dirty pots and pans sit for a bit too long, you aren’t destined to spending the next hour trying to scrub off baked on grease. Instead, put your pot or pan on the stove. Set the temperature to low heat and pour in a can of Coke. Let it sit for about an hour before using a scouring pad to wipe away the leftover grime. You can also use this to remove food that got stuck on while you were cooking, such as pasta or rice.

Garage and Driveway Stains

If your concrete garage floor or driveway is spotted with oil, a can of soda may be just what you need to get rid of that stain. Pour a bottle of soda over the spill and allow it to sit for several hours. Then, take a hose and wash it away. If there is any residual, pour a little more soda on the spot and scrub it with a wet brush. Then, watch as it fades and disappears.

Rusted and Tarnished Items

When it comes to rusted metals and tarnished items, including jewelry, Coke can work wonders. Submerge whatever you need to have cleaned in Coke. Allow it to sit for 24 hours. This gives the citric acid it contains time to dissolve any metal oxides. Once the day is up, take the item out and rinse it in water to get rid of any stickiness. It’s really that simple.

Dirty Grout

If your floor’s grout has seen better days, pour a little bit of Coke over it for several minutes. Then, wipe it clean to check out the amazing results. If you have a really tough stain, be sure to scrub the grout before wiping it clean.

Windshields

If you are struggling to get rid of bugs that have become caked on your windshield, Coke is the answer. Simply pour it over the area you plan to clean. Allow it to sit for a couple minutes and then, wipe it away with a wet washcloth. Your bug problem will be gone.

Dirty Toilets

Yes, you can even use Coke to clean your toilet, especially if you’ve noticed rust rings. Pour a can around the rim, allowing it to coat the entire bowl. Give the acids in the Coke about an hour to break down the stains. Then, come back and give the bowl a good scrub with your toilet brush. Then, flush it and check out the results.

Car Batteries

Even car batteries with corrosion can benefit from Coke. Pour the Coke over the terminals where corrosion is present. After letting it sit for a few minutes, take a toothbrush and scrub the corrosion away. To get rid of any sticky residue, pour a little bit of warm water over it.

Even if you don’t drink soda, you’ll want to pick up a bottle or can the next time you head to the grocery store. You never know when you might need to clean something.

We’ve all heard health-conscious folk and dietitians go on and on about the high sugar content in sodas. And if you’re trying to loose weight and get beach-ready for the summer, then you’ll probably have to stay miles away from the stuff. In fact, your weight is probably what comes to mind every time you reach for a fizzy bottle and take a guilty sip.

Those dietitians and thin girls and fit guys aren’t wrong. Forget diabetes and cholesterol and what not (not that they’re not important), the most obvious and easy-to-spot impact that soda can have is on your weight. And once you become obese, it’s very hard to get back in shape.

To begin with sodas, you will not find any nutritional value in them. They are just sugar water and have been found to stimulate the genes that can cause weight gain, according to a 2012 study. (2) Even the diet sodas are not free from this disadvantage by being sugar-free; they impact metabolism in a way that can lead you to gain weight, says Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., R.D., C.D.N., adjunct professor of nutrition at NYU. You can only find around 26 gm of carbohydrate in a can of soda and added sugar.

Sodas and Your Bones: Why Should You Avoid Them?

Cold Drinks have been a rage amongst young kids, teenagers as well as adults, since forever. The comfort that this sugary drink provides is divine. People drink soda to beat the heat, to satiate their thirst and sometimes, substitute it in place of water. This isn’t exactly healthy but the fact that people prefer it to take it with their meals like once or twice a day raises serious problems to their health.

The Top Ways Drinking Soda Affects Your Bones

Do you think about which are those? Bones? Heart? Calories?

High Fracture Risk

According to leading wellness and health website, WebMD.com, they quote that there is an linked association between people who have a really high intake of soda increases the risk of fractures. That factor comes into play when people take a low intake of milk and a high intake of soda in their diets promoting the brittleness of bones.

Habit of Not Drinking Nutritious Liquids

Since, the people who are susceptible on drinking soda and unhealthy drinks, chances are these individuals aren’t going to drink as much as nutritious liquids as other people who have a good calcium diet, the doctors say.These habits indirectly amount to osteoporosis and bone fragility.

Low Bone Density

Some researchers have found out that the relation to soda and bones is extremely serious.

In one of these studies, it is found that a good thousands of men and women who drank three or four cola- based sodas a day, had nearly lost up to four percent bone mineral density in the hip region, whereas the people who drank non- cola based drinks, had normal bone mineral density.

Osteoporosis

Drinking soda on a regular basis also brings down the bones to deformation and can ultimately give you osteoporosis.

WHY? You may ask. It’s because the phosphoric acid that is present in higher amounts in soda and cold drinks leads to bone loss.

Did you know phosphorus is an important bone mineral? Since people are habituated to chug in three to four sodas a day, it starts accumulating in your bones, and the higher percentage of phosphoric acid that you’re getting more than the appropriate amount of calcium is needed, results to bone loss and fragility.

If you’re a soda drinker, UP your CALCIUM

First of all, it would be better to lower your soda intake to once or twice a week and if you can’t do that, make a rule that you’re only going to drink it on the weekends.

If you can’t let go of it completely, try to up your calcium intake through rich calcium foods like milk, or having a breakfast filled with dairy products or eggs. You need to at least get a sufficient amount of calcium in your diet through sun or any Vitamin D supplements.

TIP: Vitamin D supplements can be taken after consulting your doctor according to your age and preference.

There are two main ingredients in soda that are highly addictive, sugar and caffeine. These two ingredients alone can make you a slave to the product. The cycle is vicious. Both sugar and caffeine can dehydrate you, making you thirsty. So, when you drink soda to quench your thirst, the sugar and caffeine go to work, making you thirsty. You finish that one and grab another. Soon, you have racked up a lot of empty calories – and you’re still thirsty.

Sugar

A teaspoon of sugar contains seven empty calories. That may not seem like much, but when you take into consideration the amount of sugar that is in the typical 20-ounce soda (67.5 grams – yes, one 20 ounce soda is 2.5 servings) it is pretty sobering. The sugar contained in one 20 ounce soda is the amount that should be around your daily limit. What’s more, sugar makes you thirstier, so you drink more sugary drinks. It also compromises your immune system, inhibiting the production of white blood cells. Most of all, it makes you fat. Your liver can only process so much sugar at a time, turning it into energy for the body. The left over sugar is stored as fat, the body’s way of saving energy for a rainy day.

Why you want more

You want more because two ingredients in sodas are highly addictive. Caffeine withdrawal a cause severe headaches, irritability, and other physical ailments. Sugar withdrawal is very similar. Once the body is addicted, it craves the substance. So, you keep coming back. And don’t think that you are fooling your system with artificial sweeteners. You aren’t. Your body knows the difference and will still rebel if you don’t give it real sugar. What’s more, if you are using a lot of artificial sweeteners, you aren’t teaching your body healthy eating habits. You will never get weaned off of sugar as long as you are dousing your food and drink in the artificial stuff.

The Water Issue

Your body needs water to perform vital functions. Soda is a liquid, but it is not water, and that is what you need. Many people erroneously think that soda causes breakouts. This is not true. It is the lack of water, the dehydration that is caused by sodas that can cause excess oiliness in the skin. The moisture of the skin is depleted, so the skin produces more oil to stay moist. This oil can lead to trapped dirt in the pores which lead to breakouts. This dehydration can also lead to bloating (in addition to the extra gas that the carbonation creates). Your body needs water, not sugary, fizzy, caustic fluids.

Caffeine

Caffeine is very addictive, and it dehydrates the body. In particular, it dries the skin. However, it can cause stomach upset and bloating. People who drink a lot of caffeine may notice all over fluid retention because caffeine causes fluid retention under the skin. This means that the person who drinks a lot of caffeine drinks may experience fluid retention in their hands, feet, ankles, arms and waistline. What’s more, it can cause sleep disturbances.

Caffeine is a mild stimulant that increases blood pressure and gives us a good kick. Caffeine has zero negative effects on human health when taken in moderation. Caffeine naturally speeds up the process of urine extraction leaving our bodies craving more liquid.

Salt

We often forget that salt is even in soda because we can’t taste it. There is a reason for this. Salt dehydrates the body. Which again leaves us unfulfilled in our quest to quench our thirst? Although the amount of salt found in soda is small, it still has a huge effect on our thirst systems. The fact that salty is even in soda is evidence that soda companies are not in the business of quenching our nations thirst. Salt is found in soda to keep us thirsty and keep us drinking more, which then results in us buying more.

Sugar

Sugar is in soda for a few reasons. By nature it is addictive, so when we consume it our bodies crave more, and in the result, we drink more. Also, a most important reason why sugar is added is that it covers up the taste of salt. Why else would a 20 oz bottle of soda contain over 130 grams of sugar?

Does soda quench our thirst?

In theory yes, in reality, we are simply pouring liquid into a strainer. Our thirst can never, ever be quenched by drinking soda or sports drinks. The caffeine forces us to speed up the process of urine extraction, which results in a need for liquid. Salt dehydrates our bodies and leaves us loathing with the feeling of thirst that we wanted to exterminate in the first place. This can only lead to one action of drinking of more soda.

Sports Drinks

This same combination is used in sports drinks as well minus the caffeine. Sports drinks are incredibly sugary to cover up the salt that is present. Salt was originally put in sports drinks to replace the sodium and electrolytes that are lost while we sweat. If your body truly needs more sodium and sugar, then you will know. You may feel light-headed and completely fatigued. How often do everyday people like you and me get to that level of intensity while running on the treadmill or playing pick-up basketball? Ever wonder why there are over 70 grams of sugar (34 grams of sugar and 34 grams of carbs) in a 20oz bottle of popular sports drinks? It is not put there for our health. It is present to cover up the taste of the 270 mg of salt that is found there.

If you are “addicted” to soda, you are not alone. Millions of people across the globe drink massive amounts of soda every day. Just know that cutting soda out of the diet could have the single most dramatic impact on your body regarding weight loss and overall health as any other single act. Even more important than exercising. This will not be easy. Smokers who are addicted to the nicotine found in cigarettes say that quitting smoking was the hardest thing they have ever done. Breaking the addiction to soda (sugar and also caffeine for some people) is comparable. I am not kidding. Sugar is more addictive than most drugs.

While the debate continues on the contentious issue as to whether Sodas qualify as excellent beverages all over the world, one thing is for certain: Various studies have shown the correlation of these drinks and a host of health complications. More so, while drinking soda every once in a while might not pose any significant health risks, making it a habit can increase your likelihood of suffering from various health related complications. This is because in most cases, these types of beverages often comprise of lots of sugar, other chemical and compounds, which pose significant health risks.

Soft drinks such as sodas are popular amongst most people nowadays, but the side effects of such a habit are many. There are several types of sodas, and most manufacturers use sugar compounds such as fructose syrup, which has been linked to a host of health complications. Consuming sodas on a regular basis, even diet sodas might not be a good habit. It is important to note that Drinking soda has been linked to various health complications. Some of the major ones including:

Effects of soda on your body

Liver disease- the liver works in tandem with other organs such as the pancreas to maintain the blood content for optimal cell functionalities. Consuming soda increases the accumulation of fat around the body organs by as much as 23%, which can compromise the functionality of the liver. This type of fat is known as ectopic fat, and it is believed to pose more health risks than subcutaneous fat, which often accumulates under the skin area. The ectopic fat is dangerous and might compromise the capabilities of various body organs especially the liver.

Cardiovascular complication- consuming soda increases the amounts of cholesterol levels in the blood and the blood pressure as well. More so, the high levels of sugar in most sodas increases the body mass, consequently compromising cardiovascular activities in the body and the production of cholesterol. Even consuming as little as one can of soda everyday predisposes you to the risk of developing cardiovascular complications and this comprises of even diet sodas. One study showed that consuming sodas, especially those with high levels of sugar increases the chances of stroke by 10%.

Metabolic syndrome- this is a cell function related complication that is often symptomized by increased blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and high triglycerides in the body. One of the leading causes of metabolic syndrome is when individuals consume high sugar content, such as fructose syrup, which has been shown to affect the metabolic activities in the body. As a result, this condition compromises your body`s ability to break down food and produce energy.

Diabetes and kidney stones- Researchers have also determined over the years that beverages that have sweetening compounds such as fructose syrup may increase the likelihood of suffering from diabetes, especially in children. In fact, people who consume large amounts of sugary drinks, have a 25% greater risk level of developing diabetes than those who do not consume such drinks. More so, sodas that contain high levels of both phosphoric acid and fructose corn syrup have also been connected to kidney stones. Kidney stones is a painful condition, which tends to affect senior men, and those who consume sodas are likely to be affected.

Pancreatic cancer and osteoporosis- Consuming sodas on a regular basis also increases the likelihood of suffering from pancreatic cancer. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Cancer Research showed that sweet beverages increase the development of cancer cells. The study showed that pancreatic cancer cells develop much faster and that pancreatic tumor cells feed on the sugars found in most sodas. These tumors metabolize these sugars differently, which promotes their division and growth process. More so, the types of beverages also compromise the density of the bones, especially in women. This is due to large amounts of phosphoric acid, which tends to affect the mineral densities of the bones.

All things considered, sodas may have a sweet taste, but the side effects of consuming such drinks, especially in large amounts are inherent. Various research studies have shown several links of drinking sodas and health complications. These drinks are not healthy, and people should settle for other alternatives such as fruit juices.